Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack Just Added Three Classic GBA Mario Games

Nintendo has something a little bit special to offer Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers, as they have added some new beloved titles to the subscription service.

 As Nintendo had tweeted out, Super Mario Bros Advance, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 are now part of the Expansion Pack, joining Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 in the service. If you open up the Game Boy Advance app on your Nintendo Switch, you will be asked to update the app to add these games in.

 So, let’s clear this up quickly. Super Mario Bros Advance is the US version of Super Mario Bros 2. All the Super Mario Advance games are rereleases of the NES Super Mario Bros games, with their titles indicating which original game they are based on.

All these games have seen some enhancements for their Game Boy Advance rerelease. Their graphics have been revamped, with full colors and consistent, improved designs from the NES and SNES versions of these games.

 Infamously, they all also have added voices for Mario and the other characters. Most players remember Mario’s and Luigi’s non-stop chatter. While these are designed to be audio cues (for example Mario has a phrase when he picks up a new item), and it also includes some interesting banter against the bosses, a lot of fans are not too fond of this feature.

All these games also have the original Mario Bros, also revamped with new graphics and sound, and four player multiplayer. And yes, you actually can play multiplayer with these games! When you enter the menu in-game by pressing ZL+ZR, there will be a Linked Play option that comes with instructions on how to do this. You will need to play with other Switch owners who also have subscriptions to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.

Today, gamers may call these versions of the Super Mario Bros games superfluous, but infamous or not, they are notable parts of Nintendo and Mario history too. The Super Mario Advance series was a major system seller for the Game Boy Advance, driving sales from its launch. Nintendo also set the tenor of the platform using this game series.

The Game Boy Advance released in 2001, alongside the GameCube and the Xbox, and a year after the PlayStation 2. While console video games were pushed towards longer experiences using 3D CG graphics, the Game Boy Advance was pitched as a throwback platform, where gamers could still play 2D games with sprite based graphics.

The Super Mario Advance games were a key part of that messaging, and led to the Game Boy Advance receiving many ports of classic games, as well as sequels and remakes of classic games as well.

While these are great additions to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, I won’t fault any subscribers who would be unsatisfied with this addition. The Game Boy Advance library for the Expansion Pack continues to be quite slim, even if you only expect Nintendo first party games. While other parts of the Expansion Pack bundle do offer substantial value, such as the Genesis and Nintendo 64 libraries, Game Boy Advance fans are looking for more games to arrive on the app. The least they can do is give us Metroid Zero Mission and Wario Land 4, but of course, what we really need are Mother 3 and the bit Generations mini-games.